


The Importance of Family

by AuntG



Series: The Importance of [2]
Category: Smallville
Genre: Family Feels, Family Secrets, Hugs, Lionel Luthor's A++ Parenting, M/M, Orphanage, Orphans, Pre-Slash, Secrets, Superpowers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:00:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23340592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuntG/pseuds/AuntG
Summary: Clark tells Lex about the orphanage, which leads to an unexpected connection.
Relationships: Clark Kent/Lex Luthor
Series: The Importance of [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1678570
Kudos: 76





	1. Researching

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing and earn nothing.
> 
> Y'all liked it so much that I decided to do a follow up to "The Importance of Branding."
> 
> Enjoy.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clark tells Lex about the orphanage.

As he was so fond of doing, Clark appeared abruptly in Lex's study.

Lex closed his laptop and turned away from his desk to face Clark.

"So, in the spirit of transparency…" Clark said as he stared uncertainly at the floor.

"Yes, Clark?" Lex replied amused.

"I put my investigative reporter skills to work--"

Clark said as he sheepishly glanced up.

"You mean you asked Chloe." Lex quipped with his soft looking scarred lips.

Belatedly, Clark's entranced gaze hardened into an annoyed look.

"--and found out that Chloe was right. The 'orphanage' that I supposedly came from never physically existed--Metropolis United Charities was created by your father and only had three orphans." he finished.

"Wait, three?" said Lex with barely concealed shock.

"Yeah." Clark replied, oblivious.

"Me, Lucas, and some girl named Lutessa."

"Lutessa" Lex said faintly. 

Could his father have had  _ another _ bastard? A little sister?

"Actually, even for a fictitious orphanage she wasn't there long. It said that she was voluntarily surrendered by her mother Pamela Jenkins when she was five and then after a day she was transferred to a St. Louise's Orphanage."

Lex remembered that both Pamela and Rachel Dunleavy had been red heads.

Lex got up from the chair behind his desk, walked over to Clark and braced his arms.

"Clark… this means I have a sister."

"Oh." Clark replied wide eyed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love comments. Comments make me write more.


	2. Searching

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clark talks to his Grampa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sleuthing and pet names. Family being embarrassing.

Once he got over his initial shock, Clark stepped forward and hugged Lex fiercely. He let go when a thought intruded.

"So… you have an eighteen year half old brother and a nineteen year old half sister?" Clark said uncomfortably.

"Dad was  _ busy _ ." Lex said, his tone aiming for amusement but coming out bitter.

"Maybe my grandfather could help." Clark suggested.

"Your grandfather?"

"I was talking to him over the phone on my birthday, and it turns out that Chloe wasn't the only one who thought Metropolis United Charities sounded hinky. Grampa dug pretty deep before Pa told him to quit. I think he still has the files."

Lost in thought, Lex nodded absently.

*****

After Clark gave him the number Lex put the first step of Project Hestia in motion and called William Clark, Attorney at Law. 

They exchanged pleasantries and then Clark butted in with a cheerful "Hi, grampa!"

"Clark! I didn't know you two knew each other?"

"That makes two of us." muttered Clark as he gave Lex a playful little shove.

"Has he been treating you good, Clark bar?"

Clark blushed, grateful that his grandfather could not see him over the phone. Lex shot him an amused glance.

"The reason I'm calling you is that Clark informs me you looked into Metropolis United Charities and found someone named... Lutessa?"

"Lutessa Lena Luthor? Yes, I saw that. I found out that she went to the orphanage run by Granny Goodness. Have you met her yet? Horrible woman. A blight on Metropolis." William Clark replied on the phone's speaker.

"Grandpa, did you keep tabs on her too?" Clark asked excitedly.

"Sure did, kiddo. Bitch calls her little girls  _ Furies _ . No way is  _ that _ a healthy environment."

"I think… Aha! Here it is, it says that she was adopted by Eve and Harold Mercer. I hope that helps."

"It does, thank you." Lex said, feeling strange… humbled?

"Good. And Clark? Don't be a stranger."

"I won't." Clark reassured him. "Bye, Grampa!"

"Goodbye."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So something that Smallville did that is different from the rest of Superman Canon is that they combined Lena Luthor with Mercy Graves and named her Tess Mercer.   
> Then they made her a red head. 😉
> 
> I never really understood why Jonathan hated his father-in-law so much. Okay so the guy was rich and was upset that his daughter dropped out of law school to marry a broke farmer (with terrible business sense). He tried to make it up to them after they adopted Clark and Jonathan was just 'No'.


	3. Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They find Tess's address, but that is not the only thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clark is distracted. Then he goes back to being Clark.

The next step of Project Hestia went easily as a few days later Lex learned from a P.I. that 'Tess Mercer' was not only interning at Luthorcorp but was living in a one bedroom apartment nearby.

"You're taking me with you." Clark announced. Lex's sole micro-expression was a frown as he contemplated the fact that Clark had appeared only seconds after Lex ended his phone conversation with the P.I., and in doing so, carelessly exposed his powers.

"My father often puts bugs in this room." Lex said drolly, and Clark rolled his eyes.

"Don't change the subject; I want in."

"Clark it's 2:15 p.m. Shouldn't you be in school?"

"So? This matters to you, so it matters to me." Clark said as he puffed his chest out and crossed his arms.

"Fine. We'll take the Ferrari." Lex said softly, privately pleased as he got up and gathered his keys.

*****

As the nearest parking lot was five blocks away, Lex and Clark had a decent walk to Demidell Apartments where Tess was living.

Clark--of course--didn't care. Lex had taken the lead in his poorly hidden desire to finally meet his sister. Amusingly, this meant that his usual panther-like and graceful walk was sped up to something between a bold dash and a masterful stalk.

Clark  _ may _ have not noticed the redhead. Or the man who knocked her down onto the sidewalk, took her briefcase and ran. But he did catch up to the thief and punched him just hard enough that the thief slumped against a convenient brownstone. Clark scanned his body and took the gun he found tucked in the man's waistband. Then he turned around just as Lex reached down to help the up.

"Mr. Luthor?"

Lex smirked, but his eyes were sad.

"Call me Lex, Ms. Mercer. Mr. Luthor is my father."

She stared at him starry eyed.

"Okay, but then you should call me Tess."

Clark came up to them with her briefcase.

"And your valiant hero is Clark Kent." Lex added. Clark refrained from rolling his eyes.

"Would you like me to call the police?"

She shook her head. 

"The hospital, actually." Tess said as she glanced pointedly at the unconscious man.

"Do you always hit people that hard?"

Tess added when she saw Clark's confused reaction.

Clark ducked his head.

"It's okay Clark, you're used to my hard head." Lex said, trying to cheer Clark up.

"I'll call one of my drivers and he'll take him to the hospital. Clark, can you watch over him until then? I have something to discuss with Tess and I would rather not do it in public." 

"Yeah, okay." Clark replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> About half of Mercy's origin stories involve Lex saving her.
> 
> Chapter 4 is really short, but I wanted to end this chapter here.


	4. Wanted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reveal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I suck at endings.

After Lex revealed that they were siblings, Tess swore to keep it secret so that Lionel couldn't play them against each other. 

Lex, in turn, swore to her that when the day came and he crushed his father--there would be a job waiting for her with him.

Lex got his first hug from his sister that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lex tells Tess that she's his sister.
> 
> Lex tells her that he plans to crush into a powder all of Lionel's hopes and dreams.
> 
> That earns him a hug.

**Author's Note:**

> I write short chapters, but at least this time there's four.


End file.
